Coordination Meeting on Labour Registration and Influx Monitoring Convened in Pakyong
Pakyong, February 14 : A coordination meeting addressing labour registration and influx monitoring was convened today at the RDD Community Complex, RURBAN Pakyong, under the chairmanship of Mr Rohan Agawane, District Collector Pakyong.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Collector (Development); Sub-Divisional Magistrate (HQ); Sub-Divisional Magistrates from Rangpo and Rongli; department heads from various sectors within the District; Block Development Officers (BDOs) blocks; as well as project and plant heads of companies operational in district.
During the meeting, the District Collector articulated the agenda, underscoring its significant importance. He raised concerns about the presence of undocumented individuals and the need to register labours and tenants coming from outside to monitor their activities.
In this regard, he issued several directives to tackle these concerns:
He instructed principal employers and establishment owners to ensure the registration of their workers, indicating that failure to comply would result in penalties as per the provisions of Sikkim Labour Acts.
He directed officials to verify identification documents at border checkpoints and to guarantee that each labourer possesses a valid ID issued by the Labour Department.
Mr Agawane instructed the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) to oversee the verification and registration of its labour workers and porters at the borders.
He mandated the Tourism Department to monitor and maintain data on individuals who reside for extended periods.
He instructed the Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) to thoroughly scrutinise new voter enrolment applications and ensure appropriate verification processes are followed.
Moreover, he emphasised the necessity of conducting comprehensive tenant police verification.
DC Pakyong also informed the attendees that the Aadhaar card serves as proof of residence, not Indian citizenship. In addition, he stated that an inspection team would soon be formed to conduct regular checks on labour registration.
He also encouraged the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrates to closely oversee the registration process within their jurisdiction.
At the outset of the meeting, Mr Tashi Mapen Bhutia, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Labour Department, provided an overview of the Sikkim Labour (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act, 2021.
He elucidated the Act’s objectives and detailed the registration process for establishments, service providers, sub-service providers, and individual workers.
Furthermore, he emphasised that the employment of workers without a registration card is strictly prohibited under the Act, and he explained the licensing procedures for establishments and service providers, including the renewal processes and validity of licenses and individual worker registrations.
Additionally, Mr Bhutia outlined the duties and responsibilities of principal employers, employers, owners of establishments, service providers, and sub-service providers, while also highlighting the offences and penalties established in the Act. He discussed the necessary application forms for various registrations, the issuance of registration cards, and licensing procedures.
Moreover, he provided statistics regarding the number of workers registered in both the organised and unorganised sectors within Pakyong District. He noted that ID cards are issued to workers based on their voter card information.
The meeting also included an open forum for discussion, allowing participants to express their questions and concerns.
